Portable golf ball washer



IFeb. 11, 1958 D. G. VANDERVORT ETAL PORTABLE GOLF BALL WASHER Filed Deo. 17, 1956 A IVENTORS ZZ 34 Donnie QVCznder'vor-Z BxfDonaJd L71 Dawson United ttes PORTABLE GOLF BALL WASHER Donnie G. Vandervort and Donald J. Dawson, Salem, Oreg.

Application December 17, 1956, Serial No. 628,864

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-21) This invention pertains to golf ball washers, and relates particularly to a golf ball washer which is constructed for portability, and which is particularly adapted for mounting on a golf club cart.

Golf ball washers of the type which are mounted in a fixed position, are well known, and it is a general practice in golf course operation to locate such golf ball washers adjacent a few selected tees, to permit at least periodic cleansing of golf balls. However, it is generally recognized that the necessity for cleansing a golf ball arises under unpredictable circumstances, most frequently at a position far removed from the nearest golf ball washer. Moreover, the golf ball washers of the permanent installation type generally do not receive adequate and proper maintenance, adjustment and repair, thereby affording inadequate and inelicient cleansing.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a golf ball washer adapted particularly for portability with the player.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a golf ball washer which may be mounted upon a golf club cart, at the most desired position for convenient operation.

A further important object of ythe present invention is to provide a golf ball washer which may be sealed completely to prevent escape of cleansing liquid therefrom.

Still another important object of this invention is the provision of a portable golf ball washer which is of simplified construction for economical manufacture, and which is operable with speed and facility to provide efcient cleansing of a golf ball.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view in side elevation of a portable golf ball washer embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating the manner in which the golf ball washer may be mounted upon a golf club cart;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional View similar to Figure 3 and showing a modified construction for providinga liquid tight seal, the parts being shown in unsealed position; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 and showing the parts of said modification arranged in sealing position.

The golf ball washer of the present invention includes a cylindrical container having an elongated cylindrical wall provided with a bottom closure 12. The top -end of the container is provided with a detachable cap 14 having a peripheral flange 16. The cap is adapted to be secured to the container wall by such means as the interengaging lil threads 18 which are formed on the outer surface of the m container Wall 10 and on the inner surface of the pef'ice ripheral flange 16. An annular sealing ring 19 is contained within the cap for abutment by the upper edge of the container wall to provide a liquid tight seal therebetween.

An annular shoulder 20 projects outwardly from the container wall intermediate the ends of the latter to form a seat for the sleeve 22. This sleeve is adapted to be received removably around the upper end of the container wall, when the cap 14 is removed, and to lbe confined between the upper surface 24 of the annular shoulder and the lower surface 26 of the cap flange. Suiiicient clearance is provided between the ends of the sleeve and the adjacent edges of the shoulder and cap flange to permit axial rotation of the sleeve with respect to the container wall.

The container wall 'above the annular shoulder is provided with a pair of lateral openings 28 and 30, preferably arranged diametrically opposite each other. Similar openings 32 and 34 are provided in the sleeve, and they are so arranged that in one position of adjustment of the sleeve, they are disposed in cooperative registration with the respective openings 28 and 30 in the container wall. As indicated in the drawing, the openings 28 and 32 are larger than the openings and 34, and the purpose of this preferred arrangement is explained more fully hereinafter.

A plunger rod 36 extends slidably through a central opening in the cap 14, a liquid tight seal being formed between said cap and plunger rod by any conventionalmeans, such as the resilient sealing ring 38 contained within the annular groove 40 Vformed in the enlarged central portion of the cap. A golf ball retaining ring 42 is secured to or otherwise formed integral with the inner end of the plunger rod. The inner diameter of this ring is slightly larger than the diameter of a golf ball 44. The outer end of the plunger rod is provided with a knob 46 by which to facilitate gripping of the plunger rod in the hand for operation of the golf ball washer.

Mounted within the container, and preferably extending from the bottom thereof upwardly to a point yadjacent the lateral openings 28, 30, is a cylindrical scrubbing brush. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, this brush comprises a cylindrical backing 48 provided with flexible bristles 50 which project radially inward therefrom. Thebacking preferably is secured to the inner surface of the;

container, by such means as adhesive, -to prevent displacement of the brush within the container. The bristles extend inwardly a distance sulcient to intercept the golf `ball 44 mounted within the retaining ring, whereby toef' fect scrubbing of the golf ball as the plunger is reciprocated.

Cleansing of a golf ball is accomplished not only by t-heV scrubbing action of the bristles, but also by the action,

grommets are substantially U-shaped in cross section, and

each includes a pair of radially extending spaced flanges 52, 54 interconnected by an intermediate annular ring 56. The flanges 52, 54 engage the inner and outer surfaces, respectively, of the cylinder wall to retain the grommet in proper position. The outer flange 54 of the grommet is interposed `between the outer surface of the'cylinder wall 10 :and the inner surface of the sleeve 22, and is slightly thicker than the space 58 between said surfaces. In thisY manner there is formed a liquid tight seal between 'the container wall and sleeve when the lateral openings therein are displaced.

In the embodiment illustrated in'- Since the liquid tight seal is provided primarily by the outer flange 54 of the grommet, with the inner ilange 52 and connecting ring 56 functioning primarily to maintain the grommet in position, it will be apparent that an alternative form of seal for the openings may be provided by a flat resilient washer, substantially the shape of the outer liange 54, with one of said washers being secured about each of the lateral openings in the container wall, by such means as an adhesive. As a lftu'ther alternative seal construction, a thickness of resilient material, such as rubber latex, may be deposited upon the outer surface of the cylinder wall surrounding the openings 28, 30. This may be accomplished conveniently by spraying liquid latex onto the surface of the container wall.

The liquid tight sealprovided by the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 ofthe drawing contemplates the construction of the cylinder wall and sleeve by the casting of metal or by the molding of synthetic plastic, such as the thermoplastic resins. In this arrangement the portion of the cylinder Wall above the annular shoulder is thickened in the areas surrounding the openings-28, 30. The thickness of these areas increase progressively across each opening, in the clockwise direction of rotation as viewed in Figures-4 and 5. Thus the thickness of the cylinder wall adjacent opening 28 increases progressively in the clockwise direction from the area 60 to the area 62, and the thickness of the wall adjacent opening 30 increases progressively from area 64 to area 66.

The sleeve 22 is so constructed that its thickness in the 'i vertical areas surrounding the openings 32, 34 is a minimum, and its thickness in the areas 68 and 70 between said openings increases progressively in the'direction of rotation opposite that of the cylinder Wall, for example in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures-1 and 5. Thus, as the sleeve'is rotated in the clockwise direction from the unsealed position shown in Figure 4 to the sealed position shown in Figure 5, the inner surfaces of the sections of the sleeve between the openings 32, 34 wedge tightly against the outer surfaces ofthe sections of the cylindrical wall surrounding the openings 28, 3i).

Shoulders 72, 74 are formed along the lines where the maximum thickness areas are reduced to the minimum thickness of the cylinder wall 10 and sleeve 22, respectively. These shoulders preferably are arranged to provide abutments by which the cooperative-openings 28. 32 and 30, 34 are aligned automatically in the open position of the golf ball washer.

The portable golf ball washer may be carried by any convenient means, such asin a pocket of a golf club bag. It is preferred, lhowever, that the golf ball washer be mounted detachably upon a golf club cart, either upon the main supporting shaft or upon the handle. For this purpose there is illustrated in VFigure Z-of the drawing a y simplified supportfor the golf ball washer.` This support includes a resilient -split.clamp section 76 adapted to be received slidably over a shaft member 78 of a golfclub cart. The shaft member may be eitherthe main supporting shaft or the handle shaft. The split clamp section is adapted tothe secured to the shaft member by such means as the screw '80 which extends through threaded openingsin the spaced ends of theclamp section. A circular ring 82 is connected pivotally to the split clamp section, as by means of the lateral extensions 84, 86'which are interconnectedrby a pivot pin 88. The arrangement is such that the abutting surfaces of the extensions are in such frictional contact as to permit manual pivoting of the circular ring with respect to the clamp and to maintain said ring in that adjusted position during normal use.

The operation of the golf ball washer is as follows: To insert a golf ball into the washer, the sleeve 22 is rotated to align the openings 28, 32and30, 34, and the plunger 36 is elevated to position the ball retaining ring 42 in axial registry with the openings 28, 32. A `golf-ballet then is inserted through these openings, whereupon the ball is confined within the ring 42. The sleeve then is rotated to the position at which a liquid tight seal is provided, as described hereinbefore. The plunger then is reciprocated within the cylinder, whereby the golf ball is subjected to the scrubbing action of the bristles Sti and the cleansing action of the liquid cleanser contained Within the cylinder. When the cleansing operation is completed, the plunger is again elevated to 'bring the ring into axial registry with the openings 28, 32. A iinger then may be inserted through the smaller openings 30, 34 to assist in pushing the golf ball from the confining ring 42 through the larger openings. These smaller openings may be made the same size as openings 28, 32 or they may be omitted entirely, if so desired.

The plunger then is retracted fully within the cylinder to reducethe assembly to lminimum size, and the sleeve4 rotated substantially ninety degrees, to seal `the 'openings' and thus prevent escape of liquid from the container during subsequent transport.

From the foregoing it is believed to be apparent that the present invention provides 'a golf ball washer which is of minimum size for convenient and eflicient portability, which is readily adaptable for attachment to a golf cart, which is capable of being sealed completely Yagainst the leakage of cleansing uid, and which is operablerwith speed zand facility for eicient cleansing ofgolf balls.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the various details of construction described hereinbefore may be modified Without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is primarily illustrative of the invention and is not to be considered as limiting the scope thereof.

Having now described our invention and the manner in which the same may housed, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A portable golf ball washer adapted to contain a cleansing fluid comprising an elongated hollow tube closed at its ends and having a pair of diametrically opposed lateral openings adjacent one endA thereof for insertion and removal of a golf ball, a hollow cylindrical brush mounted in the tube, the bristles of which extend radially inwardly defining a cylindrical brushing surface, ball retaining meansm-ounted for longitudinal reciprocation within the tube coaxial with saidV brushing surface,.a sleeve mounted movably on the tube adjacent said one end and having diametrically opposed lateral openings therein,.the sleeve ben ing movable between a rst position of registration of the lateral openings in the tube and sleeve for insertion and removal `of a golf ball and a second position of nonregistry of said openings, and sealing means interposed between the tube and sleeve to prevent leakage of cleansing fluid when the sleeve is moved to said second position.

2. The golf ball washer of claim l wherein thesaid one end of the tube is closed by a removable cap having an annular peripheral ange, a shoulder projecting outwardly from the tube on the side of the lateral openings opposite said cap, and wherein the sleeve is mounted rotatably about the tube Vbetween said cap flange and shoulder.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 943,879 Hurley Dec. 21, 1909 1,730,973 Henrizi Oct. 8, 1929 1,758,011 Reach May 13, 1930 2,214,437 Punte et al Sept. 10, 1940 2,672,633 Allen Mar. 23, 1954 2,780,508 Bonderer Feb. 5, 1957 

